Lead Front End Engineer

Important Notice for Applicants:
At Bixal, we want to ensure a transparent and secure application process for all candidates. Official communication will come from an email address ending in @bixal.com or from talent@bixal.com. Messages from other sources may be fraudulent, and you should exercise care to avoid any links or attachments included.

Bixal will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment.

Need Assistance or a Reasonable Accommodation?
If you need assistance or a reasonable accommodation to complete your application, we're here to help. Please reach out to us at talent@bixal.com and let us know how we can support you. You do not need to share personal details or disclose the nature of your request. You can expect a response from a team member within 24 hours during the regular work week and on the next operating day during the weekend or holidays.

Why Bixal?*
Bixal is a consulting company headquartered in Fairfax, VA, working alongside governments and organizations to help them deliver better services and experiences to the communities they serve. Using evidence-based knowledge and technology, Bixal empowers clients to deliver on their missions more effectively by fostering a culture of learning and continuous improvement.

Our values:

• People-First: Emphasizing the importance of people in all aspects of work.
• Collaboration and Transparency: Valuing teamwork and open communication.
• Growth Mindset: Encouraging innovation and continuous improvement.
• Creating Lasting Impact: Focusing on meaningful outcomes and positive change.

About the role:

The Front-End Engineer will join our cross-functional delivery teams supporting the Department of Veterans Affairs’ web and mobile modernization initiative. You’ll help rebuild and improve digital health tools used by millions of Veterans and caregivers — from secure messaging and medical records to prescription management — all within a unified, intuitive experience across web and mobile. This role focuses on front-end development for VA.gov’s health portal and the VA Health & Benefits (VAHB) mobile application, using modern frameworks and adhering to VA's accessibility and design standards. You will work across one or more areas to deliver intuitive, accessible, and performant user experiences for millions of Veterans and caregivers. You’ll help guide front-end technical strategy, mentor others, and contribute to scalable UI systems used across VA.gov and the VA Health and Benefits (VAHB) app.

This is a full-time position contingent on contract award by our client, with a defined performance period of one year with two one-year option periods. This role offers you a unique opportunity to make a meaningful impact on a project that aligns with Bixal’s mission of delivering innovative, human-centered solutions. While the role has a fixed duration, we are committed to transparency and collaboration, keeping you informed about contract updates and new opportunities. At Bixal, we support your professional journey, ensuring your experience reflects our inclusive, purpose-driven culture and prepares you for future success.

Compensation:
The salary range for this role is $130,000 – $140,000. In the spirit of transparency, most offers tend to land near the midpoint of the range. We make compensation decisions thoughtfully, considering your experience, the skills you bring, and our commitment to internal equity. Fairness and transparency are core to how we operate.

Responsibilities:

• Build responsive, accessible, and performant user interfaces using React and TypeScript
• Collaborate with designers, researchers, product managers, and full-stack engineers in an Agile environment
• Implement UI components that integrate with APIs built on Ruby on Rails (backend experience is helpful, but not required)
• Follow front-end best practices, including semantic HTML, CSS, ARIA, and WAI-ARIA patterns
• Ensure products meet WCAG and Section 508 accessibility standards through manual and automated testing
• Participate in code reviews, sprint planning, retrospectives, and regular product demos
• Proactively monitor, debug, and improve UI performance and usability using tools like Datadog and browser dev tools
• Contribute to documentation, usability improvements, and user feedback loops
• Other relevant duties as qualified and trained to perform
• Mentor team members on best practices and actively support their technical growth and development.
• Lead the agile development backlog for the technical team and provide oversight of sprint planning, team capacity, and workload management.
• Skilled in managing product roadmaps and delivering key milestones by organizing and motivating high-performing teams.
• Other relevant duties as assigned and qualified/trained to perform

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant field, plus at least five(5) years of related experience, or equivalent combination of education and experience
• Experience using React and modern JavaScript/TypeScript.
• Strong proficiency in JavaScript/TypeScript, React, and Node.js.
• Experience using server-side frameworks like Express.js, NextJS, or similar.
• Understanding of database management (PostgreSQL, MySQL, or MongoDB) and writing efficient queries.
• Familiarity with API development (REST, GraphQL) and authentication (OAuth, JWT, SAML).
• Knowledge of cloud services (AWS, Azure, or GCP), CI/CD pipelines, and containerization (Docker, Kubernetes).
• Commitment to writing clean, maintainable, and well-documented code.
• Experience working with federal web accessibility standards (Section 508, WCAG 2.2 AA, ARIA roles, screen readers like JAWS & NVDA, etc.).
• User-Centered Mindset – Passion for building accessible and user-friendly solutions for Veterans, service members, and their families.
• Problem-Solving – Ability to troubleshoot complex issues and optimize system performance.
• Collaboration & Communication – Strong ability to work in an agile, remote team environment and explain technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders.
• Adaptability & Growth – Eagerness to learn new technologies, contribute to open-source projects, and iterate on solutions based on feedback.
• Attention to Detail – Commitment to maintaining high standards for security, scalability, and performance.
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a Public Trust security clearance

Nice to Have Skills and Experience:

• Experience with React Native for mobile app development.
• Familiarity with Figma and collaborating with design teams.
• Experience working in federal contracting, civic tech, or government digital services.
• Background in site performance optimization and security hardening for large-scale web applications.

How We Support Our Team:

• Flex hours
• 401K with matching incentive
• Parental Leave
• Medical/dental/vision benefits
• Flex Spending Account
• Company provided short-term disability and life insurance
• Commuter benefits
• Paid Time Off (PTO)
• 11 Paid holidays

Our company is committed to providing equal employment opportunities for all individuals and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local anti-discrimination laws. Employment decisions are based on merit, qualifications, and business needs.

Work Location: Remote